Characteristics of pulsed photo-stimulated luminescence and thermoluminescence for the identification of gamma irradiated poultry eggs

Pulsed photo-stimulated luminescence (PPSL) is a simple screening method that can be employed qualitatively at the spot for the detection of eggs treated with ionizing radiation. In spite of the variations in the results during storage, the eggs of ostrich, duck, hen and quail irradiated to doses of 0, 1, 2 and 3 kGy, most of the samples were correctly identified up to six months during storage after irradiation. Thermoluminescence (TL) technique was also tried by using eggshells in order to confirm the PPSL results. TL glow curves were recorded between the temperatures 50 to 400 degree C at the rate of 5 degree per second for all the control and irradiated samples. On the basis of integrated areas of first glow curves (TL1), the glow curve ratios (TL1/TL2) and the shapes of maxima of TL1, the irradiation treatment of all the eggs was confirmed. Furthermore, the presence of calcite and aragonite minerals that cause the TL signal in the eggshells were studied using X-ray diffraction spectrometry. (authors)